TJ reacts to the Broncos' 38-3 victory over the Chiefs which closes out the regular season and gives Denver the AFC's #1 seed.

If Eddie DeBartolo is a Hall of Famer for hiring Bill Walsh, then shouldn't Bill Walsh's mother be in the Hall of Fame for birthing Bill Walsh, too? I mean, which is more impressive, hiring a guy, or creating him entirely?

Posted by Kibbles on 2014-01-22 12:05:48

Yeah, the "Peyton the Playoff Choker" meme was always a dumb narrative based on moving goalposts. Peyton sucks in big games, but "big games" was defined as any game where Peyton sucked. Therefore, if Peyton played well, it proved it wasn't a big game. Destroy the Broncos in the first round? Wasn't a big game. Lose to the Jets in the first round? Peyton sucks in big games! Destroy the Chiefs in the divisional round? Wasn't a big game. Lose to the Patriots in the divisional round? Peyton sucks in big games! Lose to the Pats in the AFCCG? Peyton sucks in big games! Huge comeback against the Pats in the AFCCG? Well, that was a kind of big game, and Peyton won the SB the next week, but he didn't have great stats during it because he sucks in big games. Destroy one of the greatest passing defenses of all time in the AFCCG? Wasn't a big game because he lost the SB.

Every QB sucks in "big games" if the only games you count as "big games" are the games where they suck. This isn't analysis, this is tautology.

Posted by Kibbles on 2014-01-22 12:03:35

No, people that dress up things with racial undertones are perpetuating racism. I don't care either way, they are just words. If your beliefs or your consciousness can be sway by reading a word, then you are in a bit of trouble.

It's not like I was painting swastikas in a Jewish graveyard or burning crosses in a black neighborhood. I was making a simple point, if you going to attack Sherman using racial stereotypes he was acting more like the inbred redneck stereotype than any other, which I find pretty ironic, as most of the people calling him names would fit in that same stereotype.

Of course I can't blame you if you are unable to read between the lines and go directly to self righteous outrage for me using the word "nigger" (which I refuse to change to a political correct euphemism).

Posted by Random Anonymous Coward on 2014-01-21 20:08:26

As do we all. Wow, Obama's human!

Posted by billyricky on 2014-01-21 19:46:53

DeBartolo is a convicted felon (paid a bribe to Louisiana Gov. Edwards to get a Mississippi River casino license - yes, he was nvolved in gambling). He was forced to give up the 49ers to his sister because of his conviction, then later sued her to try to take the team back (he failed). He's a criminal and a scumbag (he also majorly cheated on the salary cap). Look him up - he's a creep.

Posted by billyricky on 2014-01-21 19:43:31

You don't have to quote other peoples' racist comments. Just say he was called racist names, and leave it at that. It has nothing to do with being "politically correct" - it's simple human decency.

Do you not understand that even by quoting other people's racist comments, you're perpetuating the racism? You're putting those names into other peoples' consciousness, you're waving those names in our faces.

Posted by billyricky on 2014-01-21 19:29:09

if champ bailey was your age, or this was 2005, im sorry to say but you arent good enough to sniff his jock strap. truth. your a good corner, but u arent the best and never will be. bailey has ten times the mental prowess, and the physical gifts to match yours. id say that you are probably old enough to remember when he was at his peak, but your probably not smart enough to remember that far back. have fun with demaryius thomas in two weeks, while peyton manning is throwing touchdowns to decker, welker, JT, caldwell, tamme, dreesen and moreno.

Posted by Troy Fairclough on 2014-01-21 14:27:01

I´m not sure letting go of Decker would be the best move. Peyton historically likes continuity with his receivers more than anything else this side of game tape, and he also explained Sunday that a crucial factor when he decided to become a Bronco was what he had seen from Decker and DT, and what he thought he could build with them. I know FA is a harsh reality, and the Broncos can´t break the bank for him; but I think Peyton will want the front office to make a serious attempt to retain Decker, while also hoping his close ties with his receiver (who always carpools with him on game day) persuade him to stay the course. We shall see.

Posted by Goéland on 2014-01-21 14:16:49

Besides, a closer look reveals something different. Peyton´s Pro-Bowlers were overwhelmingly on offense, where, you know, it´s hard to argue he had nothing to do with that, while Brady had a lot more on the other side of the ball. On defense, Freeney, Mathis and Sanders were great Colts during those years, for sure, but during several postseason runs, they happened to get hurt at the most crucial of times (Freeney in 2007 and 2009, notably, while Sanders was only healthy for 2 seasons max in total). It´s obvious, once again, that the Colts were far more offense-reliant than the Pats, and wouldn´t you know it, NE hasn´t won a single Super Bowl since they became a primarily offensive team, in 2007 (even if their defense was never atrocious to the same degree some of Peyton´s teams were).

Posted by Goéland on 2014-01-21 14:08:08

obama has 10,000 hypothetical things he would either hypothetically allow, or hypothetically not allow his hypothetical son to hypothetically do anytime hes asked.

Posted by Troy Fairclough on 2014-01-21 14:03:26

That was the game that prompted Nate Dunlevy, who devotedly followed him since his very first game in Indy, to nostalgically declare that we just had seen Peyton Manning "at the height of his powers". The long throws he made to Collie and Garçon that day are some of the sickest I´ve ever seen. Oh, and by the way, in that list you can see that Peyton has the 3rd, 4th and 5th best games ever, and they ALL happened during the postseason (he has other games in there too).

Posted by Goéland on 2014-01-21 13:51:45

These Broncos win the SB and I'd bet many stay or want to sign at reduced contracts just to play on Elway/Fox/Gase's/JDR's/Manning's team.

Hmm....I wonder what will become of Champ?

Posted by John Tomasik on 2014-01-21 12:02:21

Ah, my bad. I was struggling with that...thinking that applies only to the Faiders, but couldn't think of the correct term. Brain freeze, I guess. Thanks for the correction.

Posted by John Tomasik on 2014-01-21 12:00:38

If Decker exits, do we think Nicks might be reasonably enough priced to bring in as a replacement?

Obviously, as a proven #1 capable guy, he could go for even pricier than Decker, but coming off an injury-plagued sub-par year(s), might we get a bargain bin deal?

Posted by cjfarls on 2014-01-21 11:58:40

Just doesn't have a future as a Super Bowl winner...

Posted by Truman Jensen on 2014-01-21 11:41:37

Now i'm going to have to correct you on the use of Nation and Country. John, today is not your day.

Posted by Truman Jensen on 2014-01-21 11:39:29

I know. I'm sorry. My deepest apologies to all of Bronco Nation.

Posted by John Tomasik on 2014-01-21 11:26:35

Please do not mention the R word it offends me.

Posted by Truman Jensen on 2014-01-21 11:25:25

No doubt...don't forget about the rest of this offense, either. The birds haven't faced anything like this.

Posted by John Tomasik on 2014-01-21 11:24:46

It did happen later. It happened on the field, then again at the post-game press conference, although not quite with the same level of venom. Then the apology came the next day, after everything had simmered for a while. I think Sherman's degree is in communications. Seems like he knows exactly how to control the message. Dude has a future in politics, for sure.

Posted by ncm42 on 2014-01-21 11:24:15

Yeah, a lot of the guys signed for this year are on 1 year contracts. Curious how their asking value will change from what they originally signed on for, and also in case Manning retires (god help us).

Posted by John Tomasik on 2014-01-21 11:23:33

I can see that argument, and yes some players will lower their price tags to be on a championship caliber team. (usually need a QB for that) though some players are always going to go after the large paycheck. Look at what happens to the super bowl team each year. Many of the players abandon ship and go after the paycheck, leaving the champs a shell of a team.

I'm curious to see what happens to our team next year. We have quite a few players that could hit the FA market.

Posted by Truman Jensen on 2014-01-21 11:17:25

That lady handled it pretty well. Would've cracked me up if she smacked him...

I'm really curious how much has to be built through the draft. If you're damn good at signing FA's at reasonable costs, as Elway's been doing, is the new FA market (which I believe is more plentiful) capable of largely sustaining a team?

Oh, one other element they touched on was that it's possible the FA signing of Manning had a lot to do with how little other good players would sign for. That makes sense to me. So, is the new model go out and spend big $$$ to get a top QB, then the others will follow?

Posted by John Tomasik on 2014-01-21 11:07:21

You still need to build through the draft obviously but adding key additions at the right price is extremely important. It took Sly 15 games (and some unfortunate injuries) before he was able to contribute; Pot Roast contributed immediately. The problem with FA has always been teams signing the mega-stars, generally they have to overspend to get them. Any time you tie up too much money in one player it can cause issues with the rest of the team. But adding key players at reasonable salaries can and will make a huge difference to any team.

Elway is smart enough not to reach for Freeney or Woodson when Phillips and Jammer were available for half the price.

Other than Manning all of our FA pick ups have been on good reasonable contracts. (Though Vasquez might get expensive before its all said and done) And Manning (or any other HOF QB) is obviously worth the extra money spent.

Posted by Truman Jensen on 2014-01-21 11:04:05

Ah, I see...that makes sense, though his apology makes it sound less calculating than that. If the incident had happened later, after time for reflection, and if there was a team-related motive (the need to protect a less productive player from scrutiny, for instance), I could go there with you, but for now I'm staying in the foolish camp...time will tell, I suppose.

Posted by Brian M. Jacobson on 2014-01-21 11:02:29

I was thinking more Dennis Rodman, Bill Laimbeer, or any other pro athlete who made a point of "being controversial." (But not nearly to the level of most of them.)

Posted by ncm42 on 2014-01-21 10:58:36

Well, I guess it depends on your definition of what's "successful". If you call "success" simply exposure, negative included, hell, let's call Hitler's approach successful. Personally, I prefer success that increases your overall value. If Sherman shits the bed against Manning, and if he does so in the future against other teams, he's gonna look pretty damn foolish.

Posted by John Tomasik on 2014-01-21 10:58:34

No? What is everyone talking about since Sunday night? If you start typing in "Richard" in google, his name pops up first. I think he's the top trending Twitter topic, he's all over every form of social media, all the sports shows are talking about him, non-stop. Oh, and he just HAPPENS to have the latest "Beats by Dre" ad, coming out today. Seems productive to me, if the goal is to get people talking about him.

Posted by ncm42 on 2014-01-21 10:56:29

I agree that Ali was much funnier, but for those on the receiving end, his jibes cut much more deeply. Ask Joe Frazier how he felt about being portrayed as an Uncle Tom during that period of American history. That twinkle in Muhammad's eye was the gleam people get when they're picking on someone ill equipped to fight back.

Posted by Yahmule on 2014-01-21 10:47:02

Heard one of the few interesting topics on the radio this morning (usually it's just typical re-hash stuff). They talked about Elway's presence at the Combine and his seemingly more successful hand at free-agency. I'm curious....could dominance be maintained primarily through free agency in this NFL era?

Posted by John Tomasik on 2014-01-21 10:41:03

If it's an act, I'd challenge his intelligence. Looks like that "act" isn't being very productive.

Posted by John Tomasik on 2014-01-21 10:33:51

I just don't see it...you make him sound like Muhammad Ali, but Muhammad Ali had a twinkle in his eye even when he was putting on his act -- a kind of "insiders" clue that there was more to him than what he was showing. I just don't see that in Sherman. In fact, I think many people are simply giving his behavior a pass for fear of being called racist, or, are giving it a pass because he's clearly intelligent. But being smart and being wise are different things, and Sherman strikes me as smart fool, which is why I used the term "sophomoric".

Posted by Brian M. Jacobson on 2014-01-21 10:28:40

Oh my god that's an HOF post!

Posted by John Tomasik on 2014-01-21 10:27:47

Good observation about Manning. In the MX/SX world, we had a champion who basically dominated everyone he faced for about 10 years (Ricky Carmichael). The guy was not the most talented on the bike, he was not what was thought to be the optimal height, and he wasn't the most technical, either. Every year, there was some story about some rider (or riders) who were simply better than him, and they would likely take his championships. Never happened. He rose up to the occasion and beat them all into submission every time. In the process, he also arguably diminished their career aspirations (James Stewart, Kevin Windham, Sebastian Tortelli.....and more). Manning and these Broncos will win this game.

Posted by John Tomasik on 2014-01-21 10:26:12

Thanks for the thought. I didn't read the article, but was just responding to the prompt of having Sherman's behavior discussed here. And, yes, I do believe that the dynamic articulated exists, though I might suggest (I haven't given it enough thought to speak with conviction, this is merely a gut reaction) that the societal boundaries related to shows of power and strength are good boundaries up to the point where the animus becomes racially motivated rather than motivated by the content of character.

I admit also, that I'm forming my opinion of him from interviews he's done in the past (Exhibit A would be his interview w/ Skip Bayless, who some might say "deserved" Sherman's juvenile attacks, but which still stands as testament that there's nothing isolated about Sherman's remarks following the game), and so this isn't just about what Sherman did after the game. It seems to me that Richard Sherman is showing himself to be the things I stated. He can, of course, grow, and I would gladly change my mind when his behavior changes.

Posted by Brian M. Jacobson on 2014-01-21 10:25:12

And it's fairly obvious his "controversial persona" is an act. Or if not an act, it's done intentionally to build his brand. Look at his Bayless thing (which was awesome), his unprovoked and sustained calling out of Revis, his provocation of Trent Williams. The little I've read about Sherman, his parents were well-respected in their community, to the point the neighborhood toughs wouldn't allow Richard near them out of respect for his family. He was a successful and charitable kid in high school, and he is a Stanford grad. He's a smart, shrewd guy, which leads me to believe even more that all of his "controversies" are done with an eye toward gaining some more publicity.

Posted by ncm42 on 2014-01-21 10:24:35

The deadspin article this thread originated from has people calling him "monkey", "gorilla", "nigger", etc. I'm using the word with quotation marks because i'm quoting. Political correctness be damned.

Posted by Random Anonymous Coward on 2014-01-21 10:14:58

They are both historically great QBs capable of carrying their teams. Both took their teams to the championship round despite decimated defenses. It was only two seasons ago that the Broncos didn't have a QB at all and Brady's Patriots destroyed them twice within a month. We all would have killed to have Brady then.

Posted by ohiobronco on 2014-01-21 10:09:00

Agreed, but the point of that deadspin article is more about society's reaction to him being completely different than a reaction to him if he was white. I've studied this 'plight' at a graduate level and as the author wrote, "It's been etched into our cultural fabric that to act as anything but a loud, yet harmless buffoon or an immensely powerful, yet humble servant is overstepping." It exists, whether you believe it or not.With that said, I hope the Denver Broncos put the game away before half time. Go Broncos

Posted by Kush-Lash on 2014-01-21 10:04:07

Totally agree with the WWE aspect - in fact that is what it reminded me most of. In the future I wouldn't recommend using that word even in quotation marks. It's just not necessary.

Posted by Truman Jensen on 2014-01-21 10:02:43

It won't be easy, but if you have to go against the best there's nobody else you want besides Peyton.

Posted by Justin Weber on 2014-01-21 09:54:58

I remember when Bart Scott had his after game intense interview ("Can't wait) I was just entertained, loved it, best on field interview ever.

Same energy this time, just personally vindictive against one person and very anti team oriented rant.

For me personally, both were kind of fun in the moment moments but I thought natively of sherman for those reasons, not for his skin color.

Posted by GreasyQtip on 2014-01-21 09:52:13

"As for the Seahawks, they won the game when they won home field advantage, the tiny edge that sways the referees to reinterpret roughing the kicker as incidental and forces delay of game penalties that turn 3rd-and-2 rushing downs into 3rd-and-7 strip sacks. You can send out the kicker on 4th-and-long, send him back to the sideline, then gamble with a bomb into the endzone easier at home than on the road. At the very least, you are more likely to get the encroachment penalty that gives you a free down than you are to incur a false start. In a vicious game of crazy reversals, strange calls, and non-stop punishment, they were a little bolder: slightly better at exploiting 49ers mistakes and compensating for their own."

The "narrative" has in fact been the opposite, as I've seen it emphasized repeatedly that Brady has played with far fewer pro bowlers than Manning.

I've been expecting IAOFM to turn this angle, since it's easily argued that, as a further testament to his superiority, Manning does a far better job of helping his teammates attend the Pro Bowl. Only the unnest of dead would argue that DT and OJT would be going this year if Denver still had its previous QB.

Posted by Kell_C on 2014-01-21 09:40:49

I honestly don't understand people that tend to tie everything to racism, Sherman acted more like a white trash WWE wrestler than a stereotypical "nigger".

Posted by Random Anonymous Coward on 2014-01-21 09:18:14

Well, first, I'm not outraged at Sherman did. I think he acted like an asshole, and I think that point is really beyond dispute. That doesn't mean I'm "outraged." Second, I'm not comparing what he did to what Richie Incogtnito did. Of course, they're not comparable in any way. I said that if Richie Incognito did the SAME thing Sherman did on national TV, he would have been criticized for it too.

Posted by AldenBrown on 2014-01-21 06:56:56

If Eddie DeBartolo is drawing HoF consideration, then Bowlen should, too. His credentials are much stronger. Of course, I think it's crazy to keep an actual player out of the Hall of Fame so you can enshrine an owner, instead, so unless the Hall dramatically expands the number of people it elects every season, I would strongly oppose letting in any owner.

Posted by Kibbles on 2014-01-21 06:05:52

I will note that there has only been one time in Peyton Manning's career that he's faced a passing defense anywhere near as good as Seattle's current unit in the playoffs- the 2009 Jets in the AFCCG- and the result was, according to Neil Paine, the third best game by any quarterback in the history of the NFL. Not the third best postseason game, the third best game period, full stop. 26/39 for 377 with 3 TDs and 0 INTs against a defense that allowed an average of 154 yards per game during the regular season, with 12 TDs and 21 INTs.

What he did just wasn't that bad. It was rude to the reporter who had done nothing to him, but it didn't do any lasting harm to anybody, so outrage is ridiculous. And, yes, race makes a difference about how we react to people. Sherman may not have acted classy, but Incognito actually did vitriolic, harmful things to people and his misbehaving is not comparable to simply displaying some brashness.

Character is revealed under pressure. The capacity to articulate thoughtfully when the throes have subsided is common to us all (relative to our loquaciousness, of course), and so while many would rush (including Richard himself) to try and head off the discomfort and potentially racist-energizing specter of the "angry black man" motif, the truth is this: Richard Sherman is a narcissistic, grudge keeping, and sophomoric human being. And that's true without regard to skin color.

Posted by Brian M. Jacobson on 2014-01-21 01:29:55

I have it at work and saved up each daily page and calendared a coworkers desk before this weekend's game. That's been my best use so far.

Posted by Dan Alsup on 2014-01-21 01:06:14

I don't get why more media people don't talk about how Brady has constantly had a better team around him than Manning. Each player had a year where they were out the entire season...the patriots without Brady were 11-5 and the Colts without Manning were 2-14. I think Brady is a great qb, but he gets put on a pedestal based on the first few successful years where he had an amazing D.

Posted by Dan Alsup on 2014-01-21 01:03:55

Hey, I got that calendar for Christmas too. Honestly, I'm a little disappointed in it so far. Feels like its missing something

Posted by GmanS05 on 2014-01-21 01:02:14

Agreed about Bowlen. I just saw a stat in a Broncos calendar that I got for Christmas that said the Broncos are the only team to win at least 90 games in the 80s, 90s and 2000s. Pretty darn good.

Posted by Dan Alsup on 2014-01-21 00:56:30

Yes, I thought our iron man was finally going to sit one out. Glad I was wrong !!

Posted by Alaskan on 2014-01-21 00:43:43

Wooo

Posted by John C on 2014-01-21 00:37:45

No, because they have class.

Posted by Brian H on 2014-01-21 00:21:32

I was gonna say I was just happy to see a Lard, but the opening paragraphs gave me the chills, honestly (that "probable" explanation is perfect).

507 yards in 8 drives? 63 yards per drive? Are you kidding me? These Broncos have defied the limits of what was considered possible this year (perhaps best illustrated by the 5 players with 10 TDs record, which won´t be broken anytime soon) on offense, and now that the defense is playing lights-out, how can you not be confident about their chances? As for Seattle´s D, it´s truly historically great against the pass, and they represent a worthy challenge. But if it can reassure anyone, remember that Peyton found a way in 2006 against the 3 best defenses in consecutive games in the playoffs, and the Ravens and Bears, in particular, were also amazing both according to conventional stats and advanced ones.

In conclusion, thanks for making the day and yesterday´s victory better with this Lard, Doug.

Right, but racists would have a problem with ANYTHING Richard Sherman said or did. That doesn't mean that everyone who thought Sherman acted like an asshole is a racist. In my view, it's racist to excuse the behavior because Sherman is black. Can you imagine Champ Bailey, DRC, Chris Harris, Tony Carter, or Kayvon Webster acting like that?

Posted by AldenBrown on 2014-01-20 23:36:53

GODDAMIT. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!

Posted by RichardSherman25 on 2014-01-20 23:24:19

Uhhhh...

Posted by Michael Crabtree on 2014-01-20 23:22:22

HOw WOULD YOU KNOW?

Posted by RichardSherman25 on 2014-01-20 23:21:26

Doesn't your mom have Crabs Richard?

Posted by Peyton Manning on 2014-01-20 23:20:07

First, couldn't sleep tonight and figured I'd give IAOFM one more whirl to see if there would be a Lard and viola, you delivered!

Second, the GOAT talk wears on me. There's such an easy solution to the debate: debate eras. There is NO SENSE in comparing a QB playing now to a QB from yesteryear, the rules have changed and the game has evolved to the point that it's almost comical to compare Johnny Unitas apples with Peyton Manning oranges. Rather, I'd love for there to be a consensus where writers, players and fans established particular eras and THEN AND ONLY THEN debated within the confines and limitations of the era which QB ranked on high. To me, it's the only rationale and fair way to wax philosophically about a subject that will forever remain subjective and inconclusive. For my money, if I were building a Cylon QB, I would take Peyton "Fracking" Manning's brain everyday and twice on Sunday. But until our robot overlords take over (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v..., I guess this talk is all poppycock. ;)

Third, I like the idea of Bowlen getting into the HoF. When I think of class organizations and the success he's helped bring here, I think he's deserving. That being said, I have no idea what the criterion is for NFL owners making it into the HoF.

Posted by Benjamin Funderburk on 2014-01-20 23:16:06

MOTHERPLUCKER!

YOU'RE A MEDIOCRE WIDE RECEIVER CRABTREE.

Posted by RichardSherman25 on 2014-01-20 23:12:32

Tell your mom I said Hi!

Posted by Michael Crabtree on 2014-01-20 23:09:56

ITS CALLED ANGER MANAGEMENT PEYTON. And no... I dont need a ride back. My mom is taking me.

Posted by RichardSherman25 on 2014-01-20 23:02:56

I don't think people would have responded like this if it was Richie Incognito:

Agree 100%. His adrenaline filled interview /sarcasm off/ coupled with the attempt to shake hands and choking gesture were somewhat heat of the moment, but still classless. The 'Mediocre' portion at the podium later after having time to shower and re-engage his Stanford-educated mind was what turned me off. It is funny that as a group the DB's embrace the "Legion of Boom" moniker and attempt to be playground bullies; but when he got called a thug for crossing the line it is suddenly a race issue. Has nothing to do with race, but I'm sure that narrative will help sell more newspapers and drive web clicks.

Posted by Palmetto Bronc on 2014-01-20 22:45:00

Hey Doug. I just wanted to tell you to keep ip the good work. I appreciate your dedication to your craft. Its inspiring.

Posted by Peyton Manning on 2014-01-20 22:42:24

Doug, you sir are an amazing human. Just when I thought the streak might go down on this most glorious of days I checked one more time and voila!

I found this quote in the article from Borges to be very enlightened: "It was a bravura performance by a guy who stumbled against the Patriots’ superior defenses of Ty Law, Tedy Bruschi, Rodney Harrison, Richard Seymour and the rest era but who has begun to dominate their replacements, as he did again yesterday."

Posted by Palmetto Bronc on 2014-01-20 22:35:35

I'm having trouble buying into the racist angle on the Sherman thing. (It's almost a given that I'll be on the other side of whatever angle Brandon Spano is taking.) Does anyone really believe that there would have been no similar response if Richie Incognito had gone off like that on national TV? Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and sometimes a jackass is just a jackass.